SB1886

The limited change: Article 18.067 continues to cover a warrant issued under Article 18.02(a)(10) to collect a blood specimen from someone suspected of one of the listed intoxication offenses. The adjacent-county geographic condition stays. The operative officer qualification becomes “any peace officer,” replacing the former local arrest-authority condition. Article 18.02(a)(10) concerns items constituting evidence of an offense or tending to show a particular person committed it. Final law, Section 1; Warrant grounds; Prior law.

Covered offenses: driving while intoxicated, including with a child passenger; flying while intoxicated; boating while intoxicated, including with a child passenger; operating an amusement ride or assembling a mobile amusement ride while intoxicated; intoxication assault; and intoxication manslaughter. The bill retains this existing list—it does not add an offense or change its punishment. Final law, Section 1; Driving; Driving with child passenger; Flying; Boating; Boating with child passenger; Amusement rides; Intoxication assault; Intoxication manslaughter.

Timing: the new rule applies only to warrants issued on or after September 1, 2025. Earlier warrants remain governed by the law in effect when issued. The relevant date is issuance of the warrant, not simply when an officer executes it. Final law, Sections 2–3.

Passage: the introduced, Senate committee, Senate-passed, House committee and final versions have identical operative provisions. Both committees reported the bill without amendments, and the amendment index lists none. Introduced; Senate committee; Senate-passed; House committee; Final law; Version index; Amendment index.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

For covered investigations crossing into a neighboring county, the executing peace officer no longer has to meet the removed county-specific arrest-authority condition. That broadens who can carry out this warrant; it is not a new power to obtain blood without a warrant under this provision. The act does not change the listed offenses’ elements or penalties, set medical blood-draw procedures, or establish that evidence collection will actually be faster. Final law; Former rule.

The April 21 fiscal note anticipates no significant state or local-government fiscal implication and assumes the state can absorb implementation costs with existing resources. It gives no quantified savings, staffing increase or reduction in processing time. Official fiscal note.